The present invention relates generally to a user interface for a mobile station operable in a radio communication system, such as a cellular communication system. More particularly, the present invention relates to a user interface, and an associated method, for facilitating its usage by a physically-disabled user. Through operation of an embodiment of the present invention, a physically-disabled person is better able to make use of the mobile station to communicate therethrough.
The use of multi-user, radio communication systems has achieved wide popularity in recent years as advancements in communication technologies have permitted the implementation of such radio communication systems to be affordably utilized by large numbers of users.
In a radio communication system, a communication channel connecting a sending and a receiving station is formed of a radio communication channel, defined upon a portion of the electromagnetic spectrum. Because a radio communication channel is used to communicate communication signals between the sending and receiving stations, a wire line connection is not required to effectuate the transmission of the communication signal between the sending and receiving stations. Communication by way of a radio communication system, therefore, is of particular advantage when formation of a wire line connection between sending and receiving stations to effectuate communications therebetween would be impractical.
A sending station of a radio communication system is operable to convert information which is to be communicated to the receiving station into a communication signal of characteristics which permits its communication upon the radio communication channel. To convert the information into such a communication signal, the sending station modulates the information signal upon a carrier wave of a carrier frequency within the range of frequencies which defines, at least in part, the communication channel.
A cellular communication system is exemplary of a radio communication system, usage of which has achieved wide popularity in recent years. While a user communicates by way of a radio transceiver, referred to as a mobile station, the mobile station is constructed to mimic the operation of a conventional, wire line, telephonic device. Because telephonic communication can be effectuated without the need for the formation of a wire line connection with the mobile station, the mobile station can be utilized to effectuate telephonic communications from locations at which formation of a wire line connection would be inconvenient or impractical.
Because a mobile station is typically a portable device, the mobile station can be carried by a user. Telephonic communications can be effectuated therethrough from almost any location encompassed by a cellular communication system. Thereby, a mobile station provides a mechanism for the furtherance of the user""s personal security. That is to say, a user of the mobile station is able to make use of the mobile station to request emergency assistance, or other emergency service, immediately through the use of the mobile station, when necessary, from almost any location.
However, conventional mobile stations are generally constructed to be used by a user of good physical ability. That is to say, generally, the user must at least be capable of actuating the keys of a telephonic keypad of the mobile stations. Actuation of the keys of the keypad permit calls to be originated at the mobile station. And, as mobile stations become increasingly portablized, housed in packages of increasingly smaller dimensions, the telephonic keypads of such mobile stations are sometimes correspondingly reduced in dimension, thereby increasing the difficulty of usage of the mobile station by a user suffering from a physical disability.
For instance, the actuation keys of the telephonic keypad have top face surfaces which are generally convex-shaped. While aesthetically distinctive, and easily actuable by a user of good physical ability, a user suffering from a physical disability might be unable easily to actuate the keys of such a telephonic keypad.
Actuation keys of other consumer electronic devices, such as personal computers, are sometimes more easily actuable by a user suffering from a physical disability. A keyboard of a personal computer, for instance, typically includes keys which are of concave-shaped face surfaces. Such keys are more easily actuable by a user to actuate the keys with a mouth pin. The telephonic keys of a conventional mobile station having convex-shaped face surfaces cannot similarly be actuated easily.
A user suffering from loss of aural acuity analogously is sometimes unable to make use of a mobile station. The user interface of a conventional mobile station is typically constructed in a manner permitting only one of good physical, here aural, ability to utilize the mobile station. While TTY.(Text Telephone devices) are available for conventional, wire line, telephonic devices, TTY devices have not generally been used together with mobile stations in a manner convenient to a user thereof.
Users suffering from diminished visual acuity also sometimes have problems utilizing mobile stations. Because of the portable nature of a mobile station, the mobile station is typically not maintained at a permanent location. A user suffering from diminished visual acuity might have difficulty in locating the mobile station. Users suffering from dementia or an Alzheimer-related affliction, might similarly have difficulty in locating a portable mobile station.
Improvements made to the user interface of the mobile station would facilitate its use by a user suffering from a disability.
It is in light of this background information related to user interfaces for mobile stations that the significant improvement of the present invention have evolved.
The present invention, accordingly, advantageously provides a user interface, and an associated method, for a mobile station to facilitate usage of the mobile station by a physically-disabled user. Operation of an embodiment of the present invention facilitates a physically-disabled person""s use of the mobile station to communicate therethrough.
In one aspect of the present invention, a telephonic keypad is provided of a construction which facilitates its actuation by a user utilizing a mouth pin. A telephonic keypad is provided which includes telephonic keys which are axially displaceable between an unactuated position and an actuated position. Concave-shaped face covers are positioned, or otherwise formed, upon the actuation keys of the actuation keypad to be seated thereon. The concave-shaped face covers each form a force receiving surface for receiving an actuation force, such as applied by the user utilizing a mouth pin. Responsive to such an actuation force, the actuation key upon which the face cover is seated is axially displaceable into and out of the actuated position.
The face covers, in one implementation, form a key mat which can be installed upon an existing keypad. In other implementations, the face covers are integrally formed with the actuation keys. Thereby, a user is able better to operate the mobile station even if the user is substantially physically incapacitated.
In another aspect of the present invention, a TTY (Text Telephone device) is positioned together with the mobile station and coupled thereto, thereby to permit text messages to be generated at the mobile station and to permit text messages transmitted thereto to be displayed in text form. A user suffering from an aural disability is thereby able better to make use of the mobile station. Such an implementation is analogously also beneficial to any user designed to send or to receive text messages.
In one implementation, the mobile station and the TTY device are housed together in a common housing, thereby to facilitate ease of carriage of the combined device. Also, when housed within a common housing, the connection between the TTY device and the mobile station is made secure and permanent.
In another aspect of the present invention, the mobile station is further provided with a local receiver circuit capable of receiving a locally-generated location-request signal. The location-request signal is generated by a location-request signal generator which is of a size permitting a user to carry a generator, such as by clipping the generator to the user. If the mobile station is misplaced, the user actuates the location-request signal generator to cause generation of the location-request signal. Responsive thereto, the receiver, positioned together with the mobile station, receives the location-request signal. An indication of the reception is provided to an anunciator which anunciates the reception. The anunciator anunciates the reception in a manner which is detectable by the user, such as by the generation of an aural anunciation, a visual anunciation, or a physical anunciation.
Implementation of an embodiment, or various combinations of embodiments, of the present invention facilitate usage of a mobile station by a user suffering from a disability. Through such an implementation, the advantages provided by a cellular, or other radio, communication system are thereby more accessible to a user suffering from the disability.
In these and other aspects, therefore, a user interface, and an associated method, is provided for a mobile station operable in a radio communication system. The user interface facilitates usage thereof by a physically-disabled user. The user interface includes an actuation keypad formed of an array of actuation keys. Each of the actuation keys of the actuation keypad is axially displaceable between an unactuated position and an actuated position. A plurality of concave-shaped face covers is also provided. The concave-shaped face covers correspond in number with the actuation keys of which the actuation keypad is formed. Each of the concave-shaped face covers is seated upon an actuation key of the actuation keypad. Each of the face covers forms a force receiving surface for receiving an actuation force causing axial displacement of the actuation key upon which the face cover is seated out of the unactuated position and into the actuated position.
A more complete appreciation of the present invention and the scope thereof can be obtained from the accompanying drawing which are briefly summarized below, the following detailed description of the presently-preferred embodiment of the invention, and the appended claims.